Hard Workers
by AZant
Summary: Naruto has found friends from the downtrodden and outcast, together they will shake Konoha and the World
1. Chapter 1

Hard Workers

AN: I know I should be working on my other fics and I am, it's just that this got into my head, but don't worry I'm working on them too.

DISC: I don't own Naruto it belongs to its respected owners and author

Prologue

The fight was over. The great demon Kyuubi was defeated and sealed within the baby of the Fourth Hokage. Unfortunately the jutsu the Fourth had used for the seal had depleted nearly his entire chakra stores. He had only a few minutes to live. At the battle ground his two teachers and closest thing to parents were there. Two of the legendary Senin Jiraiya and Tsunade who was desperately trying to save the Fourths life but it was hopeless. As she was about to summon a jutsu that would cut her life span to save him, she was stopped as the fourth grabbed her hands.

"Tsunade, don't do anything more. It is over, my chakra is gone, I will die soon from chakra depletion, and there is nothing that can be done now." She turned her head as she knew he was right and stopped the jutsu, but her head was pushed down by the Hokage's hand. "I need to ask you and Jiraiya one last thing…before…I leave this world…. My son…has the Kyuubi now…thanks to his sacrifice to become the demon vessel, the village is safe and he is a hero.

But…the people of village won't look at it this way. I know how short sighted people can be, he will need you and Jiraiya to look after him, I'm sure that the village will see him as a demon and not a child. I need you to look after him for me…Please…look after him….Look after Naruto." With this the youngest and greatest Hokage died in Tsunade's hands.

Jiraiya and Tsunade both cried as well as the entire village at seeing the Hokage give up his life to save them. After a week everyone in the village mourned for the Hokage and third was now back on the seat as Hokage. Jiraiya as he mourned he clenched his fist 'I swear fourth I will do as you wish, I will look after your child and raise him to be as great as you were.' Jiraiya even cut his palm and let the blood cover his clenched fist to make it a kept promise.

* * *

Two Weeks later: 

"What do mean you're leaving Tsunade? We have to take care of Naruto!" Jiraiya yelled as he saw his friend with her apprentice leaving the gates.

"Sorry Jiraiya, but I have no intention of fulfilling a young idiot's last will." Tsunade replied coldly after seeing the fourth die she had lost her feelings for people who gave up their lives for the greater good.

"The fourth asked us to take care of him. You can't just leave. The child needs both of us with your medical expertise you can make sure he lives past his first birthday."

"I'm sure Jiraiya you can take good care of him alone, but he's not my problem." Tsunade explained in the same cold voice.

Jiraiya lowered his head as he tried to get at Tsunades medical side. "You know in the hospital the exact problems the fourth had predicted are happening already?"

"What?" Tsunade stopped.

"It's true just come with me to see him and you'll know what I mean."

Thinking about this, Tsunade after a long silence sighed and agreed feeling that this was some sort of trap, but she decided to humor Jiraiya, for now. As they made it to the hospital they decided to do a henge and changed into a simple looking people so they would not draw attention from people in the hospital. When they asked where the baby named Naruto was, the nurse at the front desk told them the third floor, with a rather disgusted look on her face.

Curious Tsunade and Jiraiya went to the third floor and when they saw Naruto the poor baby was crying. The nurse's around him were not even paying attention to him. This caused Tsunade to get angry at what she was seeing. She grabbed one of the nurses arms careful as to not crush her arm from her anger.

"Excuse me, but that baby is crying and I think it needs some milk." Tsunade barely managed not to sound angry.

The nurse scoffed, with the henge hiding Tsunade's form she didn't take her seriously. "What? You mean that demon. Who gives a shit about him? The sooner he dies the sooner we won't have to deal with its presence. Now if you'll excuse me, I have 'real' babies to tend to." The nurse roughly took her arm from the woman.

Hearing this, Tsunade was stunned by the shear disregard of the fourths child that just happened to be a demon vessel. 'How could these people do this to just a little baby?' Tsunade looked at the still crying Naruto and it tore at her heart. After a minute of hearing him cry she dropped her henge changing into her 25 year old looking self. She walked into the area and took hold of Naruto and grabbed some warm milk which he eagerly drank. Jiraiya was silent through this because he already knew about what was happening here, since he had come earlier to see the boy. He needed Tsunade to help take care of the boy. Her maternal instincts were needed to comfort Naruto through this hard battle, a life as a demon vessel.

"Oh Tsunade, I didn't know you were here." A nurse said as she just got into the room Tsunade was feeding Naruto.

Tsunade immediately glared death at her, careful not to crush the baby in her arms from her anger. "Shut up! I want clean blankets for this baby…" Her nose crinkled at a smell coming from Naruto, "…and new diapers, clearly you haven't been taking care of this one."

The nurse that Tsunade grabbed before came in and upon hearing the voice of the woman that grabbed her signed her fate. "Why should we? He's just a little demon." There was an audible 'gulp' as she saw whose voice it was when she got into the room.

(WHAM!) Even Jiraiya winced as the nurse was sent through the roof by Tsunade's super strong punch and kept flying.

"If I ever hear the word 'demon' while describing this baby, I will crush the spine of that person do I make myself clear!" The remaining nurse nodded quickly and ran to tell the others. It was at this time Jiraiya walked in the room. "Jiraiya I see what you were talking about. The Hokid was right; people will treat him like this for the rest of his life. I won't stay forever but I will stay long enough so that these nurses won't try to neglect this baby. When he leaves this hospital your on your own, got it?" Tsunade stated to her friend.

"I understand my friend, I understand." Jiraiya smiled a knowing one.

* * *

1 month later: 

During the month Tsunade had looked after Naruto at the hospital. Since he wasn't well taken care of before, he had to stay longer than most babies. She examined him for problems and any other kind of disease which should have been done when he was born, but the nurses ignored him before she came in. She could only be thankful that the Kyuubi was inside him as it helped keep Naruto alive, any other child would have died like this. But she found that the baby was very healthy despite the problems so far. Now it was time to hand the baby over to Jiraiya as she promised she would do when he left the hospital.

"Now you got everything Jiraiya?" Tsunade asked tearfully as she looked at the baby in his arms.

"Yeah." Was all he said as he looked at Tsunade while Naruto just giggled at something while playing with Jiraiya's hair.

"So a deals a deal right?" Tsunade tearfully said. "I leave when he's out of the hospital."

"Yup well good bye Tsunade I hope you find what you're looking for in the world." With this Jiraiya started walking away.

"Jiraiya!" Tsunade yelled causing him to stop and Shizune to smile. Tsunade over time taking care of Naruto, the ice that had formed on her heart from the deaths of her loved ones had melted. Holding him, she realized what her little brother and lover had died trying to protect, the next generation of Konoha, they died so that the people who lived would keep their own dreams alive. The fourth had died so that the miracle she had held would live and grow up in peace.

When she held Naruto she felt the dreams of her loved ones in him. It may have taken her a long time to understand, but she realized that what her old sensei Sarutobi had said was right. The people of Konoha were worth fighting for and the same desire to protect them was their village's greatest strength. Now she had found what she was looking for, she found the reason to protect Naruto at all costs. She looked up at Jiraiya with tears in her eyes for the first time in a while. She saw that both people knew what she wanted.

"Jiraiya, if you make me sleep on your coach, I'll make sure you don't feel anything below your waist for a month, got it?" She threatened playfully as she went up and held Naruto.

Behind her Jiraiya gave Shizune the thumbs up that Tsunade would stay. She silently cheered jumping up and down, when Tsunade turned around she acted like nothing was happening. Jiraiya smiled at his own brilliance in his head, he knew Naruto had the power that his father had; the power to calm a person and change their opinions as long as the person was around him enough. He knew that when Tsunade went to the hospital and took care of Naruto, she would be able to feel emotions she had buried. Even as a baby he had this power. He wondered what would happen later in his life as he let Tsunade hold Naruto.

To be continued

AN: For future notice I don't know shit about jutsu names of what they are really called except a few that are used a lot in the manga. Also with that limited knowledge I will be making up jutsu's in the future, so if any die-hard Naruto fan can't take itthen don't flame me for it.


	2. Chapter 2

CH 1

Friendships

DISC I don't own any of Naruto

Three years later:

Naruto tried to let the day go away as very few of the kids in the park had played with him and not have their parents tell them not to go near him. He hated it that no one would play with him except a few kids that looked like outcast themselves. He decided to forget about it and took his frustration out on the coloring book he had. It was then that his grandpa and mom came home.

"Mom, gram'pa your home!" Little Naruto yelled in happiness as he hugged their legs.

"Hey Naruto how was today?" Jiraiya smiled

"It was…okay." Naruto said saddened a bit.

Both Jiraiya and Tsunade flinched under the hidden meaning behind that. They knew most of the village still resented him, though since he was considered under their protection, no one threw anything at him or called him demon out loud, but they saw the looks the people gave Naruto.

Naruto quickly bounced back and smiled up at his family. "Look what I drew mom." Naruto led her to the book he colored while also making sure it wasn't one of Jiraiya's Icha Icha Paradise books like last time. What she saw was that Naruto drew a ninja in orange color. She smiled at Naruto while Jiraiya smiled too.

"Very nice picture boy." Jiraiya smiled

"Yeah…I want to be a great ninja one day." Naruto simple stated.

Both grown ups eyes widened a bit, but they both smiled. "That's a great dream Naruto I know you can become a great ninja." Jiraiya smiled at the boy.

"Really?" Naruto smiled happily as Tsunade smiled and nodded as well. "Well I wanna to be more than that, I wanna be Hokage someday and protect everyone!" Naruto smiled as he said this. Both adults flinched at what he said. When he saw his family act this way he looked worried. "Is that a good dream?" He asked timidly.

Jiraiya took a minute to smile and ruffle Naruto's hair. "Yes kid that's a great dream." He said sincerely.

"Really do you think that's great too mom?"

Tsunade flinched at the cuteness until she smiled weakly at him. "Yes…Naruto that is a wonderful dream." She then hugged him. Soon both started dinner and ate. After Tsunade said she was going out for a 'drink'. Seeing the way she was barely controlling her emotions Jiraiya called a chunin a little later and asked if Rin could baby-sit for a few hours he then left when Rin came in order to find Tsunade. He found her at Naruto's favorite place and the best place for sake and ramen in all of Konoha, the Ichiraku Shack. When he saw her, she was already gulping down her third bottle.

"Hey Jiraiya where's Naruto?" She asked, though she was drunk she was still able to sense her fellow shinobi friend.

"I asked Rin to take care of him for a few hours. Mind if I join you?" She simply flicked finger to the stool next to her. He orders several sake bottles while Tsunade decided to explain herself.

"Sorry I left so suddenly like that. I just had to clear my head of what I saw in Naruto when he was talking about being Hokage. I saw my brother when he said that, then I pictured him bleeding and dead right next to me. I tell you friend I can't deal with that again!" She explained as she smash the stand she was leaning on. "Then I saw the same look the fourth had when he looked up at me. I couldn't say no to him, he looks so much like him Jiraiya both my brother and Arashi are all in him. I'm just trying to calm down." With this she took another swig. Jiraiya nodded in understanding, as he gulps some of his sake.

1 Hour Later:

Tsunade was worried as she looked at her friend. Normally Jiraiya would be finishing his seventh bottle of sake but he was still working on his second. This meant he was thinking very hard on something. "Penny for your thoughts?" She slurred feeling very tipsy from the drink.

"It's the kid Tsunade; you have no idea how good I felt at his desire to be a ninja. I feel the amazing potential that all his family has within the boy. Even when he's just a little kid I can feel it. That boy will make his dreams come true. All of his clan had an amazing potential and chakra reserves. That's what makes them so unique and Naruto is no different. His chakra is immense, and it's not because of the Kyuubi." Jiraiya said in a very serious tone.

Tsunade nodded at his assessment, he was always able to sense these types of things in people. "So he has more potential than Arashi huh? By numbers how strong could he become?"

"In comparison to his father's potential, he's 10 times greater."

This got Tsunade's attention as she nearly dropped her sake bottle from shock. As she got a full hold on the bottle he dropped the bomb. "I have a feeling that the fourth knew this before he sealed Kyuubi in Naruto. He knew his son had the power to hold such a powerful entity within himself. Also if I'm not mistaken he may have also known something else. Remember that old story Arashi told about the legend in his clan? I have a feeling Naruto might be the one to achieve it."

(CRASH) Sake bottle hits the floor.

Tsunade couldn't speak at what Jiraiya said just now, when she finally was able to talk she could only talk in an intense whisper. "You serious about that? I mean all of Naruto's clan were all incredible ninjas but…" Tsunade couldn't finish partially from the drink and part from the serious look Jiraiya gave her. She decided not to press the issue until she was a bit more sober. "So when should we start training him?" She asked as she paid the sake bill.

"I say we train him when he turns five." Jiraiya said in excitement.

"I have to admit I'm excited about teaching him too." Tsunade grinned, at the corner of her eye, she caught Jiraiya starring southward on her body, more precisely her chest. Acting like she didn't notice, she raised her finger behind his head and flicked him. Tsunade's super strength made it a force of a sledge hammer, making him smash his forehead into the stand. He clutched his head in pain.

She sighed at her friend. "You know Jiraiya, when you got all serious and acted very intelligent in our youth, I respected you enough to almost ask you out on a date. But then you always had to go and ruin the mood with your perverted tendencies and my respect drops back down." She calmly said as she sipped her sake.

2 Years Later:

Naruto has been training in the ninja arts with Jiraiya and Tsunade for about a month now. He has started learning the basics of what it means to be a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf. The two Senin couldn't be prouder of him as he was an excellent student and when he turned six they would start him in the Ninja Academy. Right now Naruto is running back home from his finished training for the day.

He then comes across the training area for the academy, there he sees the kid he had seen for the last month doing push ups. He had seen him exercising for the past month all the time. Deciding now would be a good time to ask why, Naruto goes down to the area just as the kid started hitting the training log. As he gets closer Naruto sees that the boy had big eyebrows and shoulder length black hair.

"Hey what are you training so hard for?"

"I'm training hard so people can acknowledge me as a ninja…" After he said this he fell back gasping air from his exhaustion. Naruto immediately went to his side and started checking him, like Tsunade taught him. He winced as he saw the terribly bruising on his legs. He got out water and splashed some on the boy's feverish face. After a while the boy cooled down enough to get up on his own.

"Thank you."

"Heh no problem man, so tell me why you need to prove so much to people." Naruto asked.

The boy was silent for a second until he believed he could trust this kid and answered. "Well you see I want to be a ninja, but the academy told me I have no ability for Genjutsu or Ninjutsu. This made me a laughing stock as people called me weak. I want to prove them all wrong about that." He took on a look of determination. "If I can't do those jutsu's then I'll just work hard at taijutsu. That is my dream to be treated as a great ninja even if I have no other skill a ninja has. That's why I'm training so hard, to prove that ninjas can be made by hard work." He got up and raised his fist into the air.

Naruto could only smile at the boy next to him. If he was willing to hurt himself to go the distance, then he could too. "Your right I too want people to notice me and I will work hard to do it. I won't stop training for anything until people respect me and I become a Legendary Senin." Naruto stated as he stood next to the boy.

"That's a cool dream of becoming a Senin." The boy smiled.

"I'm gonna train hard for when if we ever fight, I can beat you." Naruto smirked.

The boy smirked as well. "Your welcome to try…um…oh yeah we never said our names, I'm Rock Lee." He put his hand out.

Naruto smiled as he grasped it. "The names Uzumaki Naruto, someday I'll be a Senin." With this said a friendship was made.

Both boys had trained harder than ever. Both Senin were surprised at the desire to become greater had sent Naruto into an incredible training regimens and they couldn't be prouder at how their student was working so hard to become better. Jiraiya and Tsunade became even happier that Naruto had gained a friend that was a hard working rival.

It is now six months since they started training and both kids were doing their best to one up the other in training exercises. As they trained they laughed and enjoyed the time they had.

The two were considered either an outcast or a loser to people and were both lonely. They formed a bond with each and became stronger together. It was during the middle of the training time they heard a sound coming from behind a tree near where they trained. It suspiciously sounded like crying. Curious both went to see what was going on. When they found the noise they found a little girl Naruto's age scrunched in a ball crying.

"Hey are you okay?" Lee asked as he nudged her shoulder causing her to look up.

"Hey Lee she's a Hyuuga." 'A really cute Hyuuga too' Naruto blushed as he recognized the eyes all Hyuuga's had. "Why are you crying…um…" Naruto left off for her to answer.

"M-My n-name is Hinata H-Hyuuga. W-What's y-your names?" She asked timidly to the cute blonde in front of her.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, and this is my good friend Rock Lee."

"Yo!" Lee saluted.

"So tell us why were crying?" Naruto asked sympathetically.

Hinata started to tear up as she thought of what happened today. "I-I was crying be-because m-my father said I was weak." She said while trying not to cry again.

"Why are you weak?" Lee asked getting saddened for the girl.

The girl buried her head in her knee's making her voice muffled a bit. "B-Because my s-skills aren't as g-good as t-the rest of my families. I-I'm considered to be the weakest in my f-family and I get ridiculed and punished b-by my father for being so weak. He calls me u-useless and a s-screw up. And he's right! I am weak; I don't deserve to be part of the Hyuuga clan." Hinata started crying more as she finished.

Naruto and Lee looked at the girl as she cried out her pain to the two. Lee was hit the hardest by what she said, as he too was ridiculed for his inabilities. Naruto just had a straight face. True he listened and was sad, but he knew what to say to her now. Standing up from when he was crouching he looked down at her.

"Get up Hinata!" Naruto yelled.

"H-huh?"

"Naruto what are you doing?" Lee asked perplexed.

"You heard me get up! If you're willing to waste energy making tears then you have the power to get up and train, so get up!" Naruto demanded.

"Why should I? I'm weak." Hinata mumbled.

She squeaked in surprise as Naruto grabbed her shoulders and lifted her on her feet and forced her to meet his gaze, electric blue to silver. "What kind of talk is that? I thought the Hyuuga's were the strongest clan in Konoha! If you think you're a weakling then that's all you'll ever be for the rest of your life! You think you can't get better just because you're different than your family. Then do the best you can! You can't let people make you think that way Hinata! Cause when you do, you let them win and have power over you for the rest of your life!" He let go of the shocked little girl and let her stand.

"You say you're different? Well welcome to the club!" He pointed to himself. "People look at me like I'm a monster and if it wasn't for my friend Lee and my family I would be alone. I work hard just to show people that I am worthwhile and for the people who care to make them proud of me!"

Naruto points to Lee. "Lee has almost no talent for anything that can be used for a shinobi except taijutsu, yet he trains hard everyday so that he could prove hard work can make a great ninja."

He stopped yelling and gave her a serious look. "What I guess I'm sayin if you wanna get stronger and prove to people that you are great then make your own destiny. Stop listening to people who call you weak, because you're only weak if you let yourself be." Naruto said as he and Lee left to start their training again leaving Hinata with a lot to think about.

When she heard sparring and hits being made on posts she got curious at the boys activities. Looking at the two boys made her wonder; both of them were training as hard as they could so that they could get their dreams met. 'Am I really gonna let people affect me so much by calling me weak?' Was all Hinata could think about as she watched the two work. If what Naruto said was true then they too had serious opposition against them yet they still kept going.

After watching them train nearly nonstop for the past three hours, all Hinata could do was be amazed at their determination. They were working themselves to exhaustion for what they wanted and she started feeling bad that she was being useless by crying over what she went through. She started hearing Naruto in her head 'If you're willing to waste energy to make tears then you have the power to get up and train, so get up!' He was right, she had wasted energy feeling sorry for herself when she should have been training like these two were. Her small fists clenched in anger at her own weakness. When she saw both boys collapse from exhaustion, she immediately ran up to them to make sure they were all right.

After helping them cool off from the heat exhaustion, her face took on a look of determination 'No more!' she thought, 'I will not cry again about my problems. These two have been working so hard to accomplish their dreams, if they can get past their limits than so can I!' Getting up she looked at the two, who were looking at her in curious expressions.

"Guys, you're right about me. Naruto I thank you for helping get over my problems, I realize now after watching how hard you two have trained that I can't be weak anymore by crying. I'm gonna train and to heck with all the people who ever called me weak or not worthy. My dream is to become the Hyuuga clan head and I'll prove to all the Hyuuga's that I am not weak despite what they think of me." She started looking down and poking her fingers in shyness, "That is if, you two will let me train with you."

Naruto and Lee looked at her for a while. Naruto stood up and smiled at her and had his hand out. "Welcome to our team." Hinata was so happy that instead of shaking it, she glomped onto Naruto in joy causing both to fall back and Lee to laugh.

In a tree, Jiraiya was using his invisible peeping technique to watch over the kids and couldn't help but be proud of how Naruto had now gained a new friend in the little Hyuuga girl.

AN: Sorry I haven't updated any of my stories for a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggggggg time! A mixture of laziness, reading too much fanfiction and College has kept me unmotivated. So that is my excuse. Sorry is all I can say


	3. Sand friend

CH 2

Sand Friend

DISC: Kishismoto own Naruto I own this story enough said.

It has been a year since the trio had become training buddies. All of them had trained hard to show people their worth. Naruto was exhausted most of the waking day from not only training under Tsunades super strength and medic techniques, and Jiraiya's help in learning his favorite jutsu's, lightening jutsu's. Also the extra training with the other two friends had finished up most of his stamina for the day. But he was slowly getting stronger and gaining more stamina.

His other friends also got better from their training. Lee had excelled from his training more than ever since he had friends to spur him on. He got so good that he was considered one of the best young taijutsu users at the academy no one but a few could beat him without using ninjutsu or genjutsu. During this time he also found a role model in the Jounin Gia who had taken a liking to the hard working boy and decided to start teaching him his taijutsu the Goken.

Hinata became a much stronger person both physically and mentally. Though she still was considered weak by some of the family, with the extra training she did with Naruto and Lee she was showing incredible improvement. She worked on the moves she learned the day and did her best to perfect the moves during her extra training time. Her stamina had increased to double what it was as well as her strength and precision in her family taijutsu style.

What really changed was her attitude; she no longer let being called weak bother her much and remembered she had her friends to back her up when she needed them. She was much more confident and had gained a will that was only equaled to her two friends. She never cried much and became more assertive at her goals to change the way the Hyuuga clan was. Though at times she doubted herself, Naruto was there to break her doubt and make her train harder. Though unknown to him, she had started liking Naruto as more than just a friend. And unknown to her Naruto felt the same way.

We see Naruto heading out of Konoha crying about leaving his friends behind. A few days ago Jiraiya and Tsunade were asked by the Hokage to go with him for a peace meeting with the Kazekage in the Hidden Sand Village. Since Shizune was on a mission and others were either on a mission or they down right disliked the boy, the Sannin had no choice but to bring him along.

When they got to the village it was kind of nice for Naruto despite the immense heat from the sandy village. Naruto walked through the city as a normal person for once. Only a few people looked at him with distaste, because he was a hidden leaf, everyone else looked at him normally and with no amount of hate. An event that had never happened before in his village.

However despite the nice vacation from the hateful stares of his village, he was very lonely without his friends, and he was ordered by his family on pain of punishment to be on his best behavior so he couldn't do any pranks for fun leaving him bored. Not to mention the desert heat made him start drowning in his own sweat.

Soon he saw a place that resembled a park he didn't know for sure if it was from all the sand, but he guessed because of all the kids that were playing around the area. It wasn't the best the place from what could be seen since the endless sand had dulled the colors of the slides and dried up play things made the area look like a wasteland. Shrugging thinking it was better than nothing he started to play on the swing.

As he looked at all the kids he saw a red headed boy sitting by himself holding what looked like a stuffed raccoon.

Curious he got off his swing and walked over to him. Once he got a better look at him, he found the boy to be very sleep deprived from the big black rings around his eyes. Despite the lack of sleep he noticed most of all that the boy's eyes held unbearable sadness in them and a feeling of loneliness that no child should bear.

'Man I really have a talent for finding the worst off people.' Naruto thought as he continued his walk over to the red head. "Hi my names Naruto." He said in a casual voice.

The red head looked up at him and Naruto's smile almost faltered at the eerie look the boy gave him, almost like he was shocked that anyone even came close to him.

"Are you talking to me?" The red head asked in surprise.

"Well yeah! You see anyone else in your direction?" Naruto joked he put his hand down seeing as the boy wasn't going to take it.

"Well…go away!" Said the red head looking away, miserably.

"Hey man what's wrong I just wanted to know your name?" Naruto asked looking hurt.

"I said LEAVE!" The red head yelled as sand formed in a wave and almost hit Naruto if he didn't jump away. When the sand was back on the ground Naruto gapped.

"That…was…AWESOME!" Naruto cheered.

"What?" Said the red head looking very shocked.

"That was awesome you did that right? Can you teach me? That was so cool! I want to do that. TEACH ME, TEACH ME!" Naruto yelled jumping up and down in excitement.

The red head was shocked again at what the blonde said. "You…really think…what I do is cool?"

"Well sure I wish I could do that. How do you do it?"

"I don't do it by choice its just happens to me when I want it to."

"So I can't learn it?" the red head shook his head. "Aww I was hoping to add a really cool ability to my arsenal. Say what else can you do with that sand?"

Not sure how to react to someone who thought his ability was incredible the red head unconsciously manipulated the sand and made a three foot tentacle of sand from the ground. Naruto was awed as he scooted over to the sand and felt it. It felt hard like concrete yet it moved like it was alive.

Naruto pulled away from the sand tentacle and looked up at the red head. "Say you wanna play?"

Being already shocked by the days events couldn't refuse Naruto and the red head started playing on the swing.

"Say what's your name anyway? I forgot to tell you my name, I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

The red head looked at Naruto for a little while. As he looked in his eyes he saw no malice or fear in his eyes just joy and awe directed at him. 'He doesn't see me as a monster. Just a possible friend.' "I'm Gaara of the Sand."

"Man you even have a cooler name than me." Naruto joked "Say wanna get some Ramen later?"

"What's Ramen?"

"WHAT! You don't know?!" His answer was a shake from Gaara. "This is serious! Come on!" Yelled Naruto, dragging Gaara behind him as he searched for a Ramen stand.

Again Gaara was shocked as someone was touching him without his sand reacting. 'This is ridiculous how come my sand isn't reacting to his touch? It always comes up even for my uncle.' His head shot up for a second as a revelation hit him. 'C-Could it be that it's not reacting because he's not going to hurt me?'

The idea sounded ridiculous to Gaara. No one ever 'not' wanted to hurt him. He was always on the look out for assassins after his throat. This blonde could very well be an assassin in disguise. But the idea had little evidence since his sand was not reacting to the boy. Even if a person on a subconscious level wanted to hurt him the sand would protect him. Yet this blonde was able to freely touch him without the sand reacting. A shout of "There's a stand!" ended Gaara's thinking.

10 minutes later:

Gaara had to admit that this 'Ramen' was actually quite good. So far he had just eaten a bowl of beef ramen. To his surprise Naruto had just finished polishing off his seventh helping, oblivious to the world around him except the delicious soup in front of him. Gaara couldn't help but be impressed and wondered were the boy put all that food. He found this thought funny and actually cracked his first real smile in years at the blonde.

Naruto saw this and gave him a big grin. "Glad to see something gets through that stone wall you call a face." Naruto laughed. Gaara regained said stone face at the remark making Naruto laugh harder.

"So…why are you here in Suna I've never seen you before?" Gaara asked hesitantly not really sure how to speak to the blonde.

"Me? Well my parents had to come with the kage of my village, Konoha, here so they could talk about something." Naruto stated simply.

"Oh…I see…so you're a leaf shinobi?"

"Well not yet, I'm not even a genin yet but I hope to be soon and when I do I want to be one of the greatest shinobi to ever live and surpass all Three Sannin!" Naruto announced to all in the ramen stand.

Gaara eyes widened at such a dream, he knew enough that the Sannin were considered some of the strongest of ninja. His father was always going to great lengths to force Gaara and his siblings to train under pain of death so that the sand could finally have the notoriety that Konoha had for producing such high level shinobi.

The two had a mutual understanding from then on, as they sat in the stand each just talking or rather Naruto talked and Gaara answered.

A minute later a mother and her five year old daughter were walking and the little girl dropped a stuffed bear she was holding next to Gaara's seat. She was about to pick it up when her mother pulled her away.

"Don't dear keep away from that monster!"

"But mom…"

Gaara looked at the bear and feeling rather generous today, he got up to pick it up. "Here…" was all he said.

"Stay away you monster!" The mother yelled as she dragged her daughter farther from Gaara.

"I just…"

"Go away! You shouldn't exist! You have no reason to be alive!" The woman yelled in angry fear at Gaara.

The minute she said that, Gaara eyes grew from depression to anger as the sand started to move.

Before the sand could attack, he saw a yellow flash pass him and heard a loud 'BOOM!' Gaara stared as Naruto jumped from his seat and smashed his fist into the woman's face knocking her down. Gaara looked sort of scared as Naruto's eyes turn to ice and his snarl sounded intimidating. He was acting like the woman had insulted him rather then Gaara.

"Don't say that about Gaara, you bitch! He did nothing to you to deserve that! All he wanted was to give your daughters bear back!" Grabbing her collar he continued. "The only monster I see is you, you miserable old hag!" He kicked her in head for good measure as several sand shinobi jumped from their hiding spaces.

"What is going on leaf?" One of the sand Anbu asked.

"That ancient hag insulted my friend!" He snarled pointing to the knocked out woman.

"That's enough!" Yelled a new voice as all people looked at Tsunade and Jiraiya who had heard Naruto's booming voice.

"Naruto what is going on? We told specifically not to cause trouble in Suna." Tsunade reprimanded.

"But she insulted him and called him a monster. No one not even a kage talks to my friends like that!" Naruto snarled not caring as to who he was talking to.

Both Sannin faces softened knowing how aggressive Naruto was when protecting a friend.

'He-he called me friend!' Gaara was getting annoyed at the shock he had been subjected to in just a half an hour. First a kid thought his abilities were cool, then he was able to touch him, he defended him, and now he called him a friend. 'Just who is this kid?' Gaara thought as the sand shinobi picked up the woman and the escorted them to their home led by the little girl holding her bear.

When they left, Naruto was bonked on the head by Jiraiya.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Gaki we gave you strict instructions not to cause trouble here. And what do you do? You beat the shit out of a villager." Jiraiya huffed in irritation of Naruto.

"She had no right to talk to Gaara like that! She called him a monster for just trying to give a girl back her bear! She deserved much more." Naruto grumbled the last part as he crossed his arms in stubbornness.

Tsunade sighed at her son. "I guess we can't really do much about it now. Hopefully since you're not even a genin yet there will be nothing the Kazekage could do to you as punishment for what you did. Besides I doubt that bastard will be willing to admit that a leaf kid was able to beat down a full grown adult of his village. He would rather die than admit his village was that weak." Tsunade smirked at the idea. "So tell me Naruto who is your friend."

Naruto grinned wide at the safer subject and pointed to Gaara. "This is my new friend Gaara. We met at the playground."

"Umm…hello." Gaara said timidly.

"He has this really cool ability! Go on man show em." Naruto said jumping up and down in excitement.

With some hesitation Gaara made the same tentacle he showed Naruto earlier.

'So this is the jinchuuriki of this village' Tsunade and Jiraiya thought at the same time.

"My, that's pretty interesting ability." Tsunade examined it.

Jiraiya could only nod in thoughtfulness. "You have an amazing talent."

"Thank you" Was all Gaara could say as at the only adults to ever give him such praise.

A second later two kids interrupted the four. One was an eight year-old girl with blonde hair just above her shoulders with blue-green eyes. The boy was seven years old and had black hair and brown eyes.

"Excuse us Gaara but father has asked us to take you to his office." The girl stated professionally.

Everyone looked at the two and Gaara just nodded at the girl and started to leave they gave Gaara a wide birth as they were very timid around him. The closer he came to them the more tension was created. Until Naruto broke it.

"Hey Gaara who's that really beautiful girl? And that… ugly looking guy?"

"I'm not ugly!" Shouted the boy while the girl blushed deeply.

"Naruto!" Tsunade reprimanded.

"What? It's not my fault he's ugly and she's really beautiful?" He asked innocently.

Jiraiya laughed while the boy started yelling that he was not ugly and the girl just got redder. Gaara held his mouth trying desperately not to laugh but a grin started to spread as he looked at the boy. Tsunade also was having a hard time keeping calm at her son's statement.

"So Gaara, who is this pretty girl?" He turned to his new friend.

"She's my older sister Temari."

"And this ugly guy?"

"WILL YOU STOP CALLING ME UGLY!" Yelled the boy.

"He's my other older sibling Kankuro."

Naruto walked over to them and started scanning them up and down. Both getting a little nervous at his scrutiny. "I don't see a resemblance between you three but if that is what you say alright. I guess I'll see you around."

"Yeah…see ya." Gaara said unsure as the trio left for the Kage tower.

When they left Jiraiya came up and ruffled Narutos hair. "HAHAHA! That's my boy! He's already becoming a super stud just like me! Woman are falling for him faster then lightening." Jiraiya grew a hentai grin and bent down to Naruto's ear. "And I have to say kid you know how to pick'em. That girl looks like she could grow to be a demon in the sa…(WHAM!)" Tsunade fist buried Jiraiya in the ground.

"Why must everything out of your mouth be perverted?" Tsunade snarled.

The week they were at Suna Tsunade was right as they heard nothing else about the incident. Naruto had gotten to know the three siblings since Gaara was the Kazekage's son and he asked Gaara's siblings to keep Gaara 'under control' was what he called it. Naruto didn't really care as he hung out with the three sand siblings.

There was something about Gaara that made Naruto feel a bond from the red head not like the one he had for his friends but more of a kinship with him. Naruto didn't care about it as he liked Gaara while trying his best to make the stone like boy smile. But only managed to do it when he said Temari had an 'Ass to die for' and promptly got smashed in the head by said blushing girl.

During this week he also told about his village and his friends he had there. If Naruto didn't know any better when he spoke about Hinata, Temari got really jealous. When he asked about it she just bonked him on the head and left. He also got to know a little about Gaara, though he never talked much about himself. From what he saw how the village treated him, he decided not to push the subject.

Gaara also had changed in the week he knew Naruto. Despite barely showing it, he grew to like Naruto's friendship. A side affect to the get together's were Gaara's two siblings started to realize that Gaara was not someone to be afraid of. By the end of the week they started to treat him as a brother and apologized for being afraid of him.

It was a day before Naruto went back to Konoha when he asked a fateful question. "Say Gaara I…I know we've been friends for just a week but…do you know why your village hates you? You don't have to answer if you don't want to but I was just curious."

Gaara stayed silent at the blonde's question thinking about what he said. He was debating on whether to tell Naruto or not. After getting to know the blonde for a week he admitted that he could call this boy a friend; a very annoying friend, but a friend none the less. He wondered what would happen when he found out the truth. The thought of him calling him a monster was not something he wanted to happen. But he knew, sooner or later he would have to reveal the Shukaku to Naruto or risk him finding out and hating him more.

"They hate me because of what I carry." Gaara said sadly.

"What do you mean?"

"I carry the one tailed demon Shukaku inside me. I am a Jinchuuriki. I-I was made to be a weapon for the village. People believe I'm dangerous and they fear me. You are the only person I've ever met aside from my uncle who isn't afraid of me. You are also the only one to have ever touched me without my sand trying to protect me."

Naruto looked shocked at the revelation from his friend. "So that's why you can control sand without hand seals."

Gaara nodded. "It is a power given to me by Shukaku. Also because of him I am unable to sleep because he will eat my soul if I do." Gaara looked down utterly miserable "Sometimes…I wonder if I am a monster."

"Well that's just bullshit!" Naruto snarled.

"What do you…"

"You didn't ask to be a jinchuuriki and yet these people think you are monster! Your village put this thing in you and they are afraid of you? You never did anything but exist and they hate you for it! It's their fault if they do get hurt! It's not your fault!" Naruto looked at Gaara with determination.

"Gaara, never look at yourself as a demon. You are not anything they accuse you of.

"Really?"

"Yup if you ever get in trouble just call me and I'll come in an instant. You're my friend Gaara and no matter what never forget that."

Gaara looked at the blonde's eyes as he saw nothing but fierce determination in them. A real smile lit up his face. "Yes you are my friend."

Traveling out of Sand:

Naruto looked outside of the caravan, as he, the Sannin and Hokage left Sand village. Naruto couldn't stop thinking about what Gaara said the day before. The reason the village hated him was because he was a Jinchuuriki. As he thought about it he started to make comparisons to his life back in Konoha.

True he never was hurt or yelled at, but he guessed it was because of his family. He wasn't oblivious; he saw the hateful stares a lot of the village gave him when he passed them. Also some of the merchants would try to throw him out at times while usually overpricing their merchandise for him. Not to mention that when he used his chakra a seal formed on his stomach also his birthday was on the day the kyuubi attacked. All these clues led him to one thing only, he was a jinchuuriki too.

Naruto looked at the three elder shinobi and decided to know if they knew. "Tsunade, Jiraiya, Hokage, can I ask you something?" This got all the adults attention because Naruto never said their names unless he was serious.

"What is it Naruto?" Tsunade asked.

"Guy's um…am I…well…am I a Jinchuriki like Gaara?" All the adults looked shocked at Naruto. "Gaara told me yesterday that he had a demon sealed in him and that he is a weapon the village which is why the people hate him. Do I have a demon inside me like he does? Am I…just a weapon to the village?"

Everyone winced hearing the last sentence of that statement. Surprisingly it was Jiraiya who spoke first. "Yes you are a Jinchuuriki." At this Tsunade hugged him slight tears going down her face. "As for you being a weapon, no you are not a weapon." Jiraiya said in total seriousness.

"What demon do I have in me?" Naruto asked already having an idea of what was inside him.

"You have the demon Kyuubi inside you. The Yondame couldn't defeat the demon when it attacked. He had no choice but to seal him inside you or else the entire village would have been destroyed. He wanted you to be seen as a hero, but he knew that the village would not accept you so he asked us to take care of you."

This brought new tears of shame to Tsunade as she remembered what she was going to do that day. She had planned on leaving the treasure in her arms and wallow in self pity. She hugged him tighter after this thought. "We were going to tell you when you were ready, but now that you figured it out, know that we both love you and we'll never think of you as a demon."

"Thanks mom." Naruto said.

"I feel rather sorry for that boy in Suna." Said Hokage.

"Why?" Asked Naruto.

"The few times I saw him, I saw the seal that was on him. It's horribly weak, too weak to hold the demon back very much. If I'm not mistaken the work was intentional to make sure the village had a very lethal weapon. But because of that I fear that boy may soon turn insane."

"Couldn't we do anything to help him?" Naruto was desperately asking. "The poor guy can't even go to sleep without the demon trying to eat his soul."

"Your right we could help that boy by creating a stronger seal." Before Naruto could interrupt Sarutobi continued "Unfortunately we have no grounds to do that. He is not one of our shinobi nor do we have political power to barge in and help the boy. He is Suna's we can't help him without starting a war between our two villages." The man finished with a sigh.

Naruto's head was down in depression. One of the first things a medic was taught was to do anything in his power to help people. Feeling so helpless to a friend that was in so much, hurt. Looking back at Suna Naruto could only feel determination build.

'I'll keep working. I will keep getting stronger as a medic and a shinobi. When I become a Sannin I will become strong enough to save all my precious people.

1 Month Later:

Once Naruto got home he started working harder than a man possessed to try and find a way to help Gaara and become strong for his friends that needed him. He wasn't the only one. When he came home he told his friends what had happened and what he was. He first was afraid that they would fear him. But he was wrong, Hinata and Lee understood that he was not the demon and both started to get stronger to help Naruto.

2 months since Naruto came back to Konoha:

Naruto was staying home reading a medic book that he had to read for a quiz Tsunade would have him do tomorrow about human anatomy. It was times like this he really wished he didn't decide to not only be a medic nin, but be a shinobi too. But that was the only way he could actually start training since both Tsunade and Jiraiya would've kept fighting until they destroyed Konoha since they both wanted to teach him their arts.

Learning two styles wasn't all bad, though Naruto could do without the homework. He did start learning some cool low level lightening jutsu's and was starting learning some of Jiraiya's spy styles and concealment techniques. From Tsunade he started learning healing jutsu's though he could only heal small cuts and sprains now, but he was getting better. The best part was that he was learning some of Tsunade's super strength and now he was able to smash through a tree with his chakra punch.

The two Sannin had left for a few minutes to go see the Hokage about a meeting the old man said. It was when he was reading his medic book when heard his name being barely whispered outside.

Naruto started walking to the door as he heard the voice again. The voice sounded weak and tired. As if the person had just ended a long journey. Not taking any chances, he grabbed a kunai just in case and slowly opened door. He was not expecting what was behind it.

"Gaara…?!"

Indeed it was Gaara but the red head looked completely exhausted and weak. His clothes were dirty torn and he barely was able stand as he was leaning heavily on the door frame, breathing heavily and his eyes closed and opened quickly trying to stay awake from the severe exhaustion.

After a second of shock Naruto grabbed Gaara as he could barely stand. As he dragged him in he heard a faint "Food….water".

Setting him down Naruto ran to his kitchen to find something Gaara could eat and drink.

A few seconds later Naruto had armfuls of water and fruit he managed to get. Gaara pounced on the food and water and started devouring. He guzzled the water choking and coughing several times from drinking too fast.

When he finally had enough Naruto got him to the coach and set him down.

"Gaara what's going on? Why are you here and how did you get here?"

"Naruto……I……can't…….stay…..up…..much longer." Gaara barely whispered. "The……demon…….will…..come out…….if…..I…….sleep….." Gaara said, barely keeping his eyes open.

"What?" "Oh man I have to get you to the old man and quick!" Naruto lifted him up on his back and grabbed some water splashing it in Gaara's face to keep him up.

Naruto jumped roofs at his greatest speed. Gaara tried to stay up as long as he could. Once he got to the tower Gaara started close and open his barely able to stay up much longer. The exhaustion of insomnia and the travel was crushing his last ounce of energy.

Out of the corner of his eye Naruto saw Gaara start to lose the battle and started push himself further in hopes to getting to the hokage office before it was too late. The speed gave him some time as it kept rocking Gaara back to consciousness. When he saw he was at the tower door he ignored the Anbu on guard and ran up to the office. His adrenaline pushing him to go faster than the Anbu could stop him.

With a flying kick, he smashed open the office doors. "Old man we've got a situation!" He yelled placing Gaara on a chair he grabbed the Hokages drink and splashed Gaara again, but it was no use. Gaara wouldn't last another five minutes.

Naruto quickly explained and the hokage quickly got to work. He started examining the seal on Gaara and created kage bushins to help speed up the research.

The inevitable happened 3 minutes later as Gaara finally succumbed to sleep. Sand started swirling around the Hokage kept working hoping it could be done and sent word to the every available shinobi to help. Anbu and jonins alike both tried get the sand to stop but the sand kept shielding gaara as the demon inside started to form while laughing as he finally free to destroy a village.

"GAARA DON'T LET HIM WIN! YOU'RE STRONGER THAN HIM! DON'T LET HIM TURN YOU! FIGHT HIM!" Naruto tried to get Gaara back. The demon started laughing at Naruto.

"**HAHAHA! It's too late mortal! This boy is mine now! You may foiled my chance to destroy his home village, but you can't save him now! He is weak!" **Shukaku grinned as already 2/3rds of Gaara's body was turned into a giant sand badger, destroying the office with sand spikes and blades. The anbu and Sannin shielded the hokage from harm as the old man kept trying to find a seal to stop the demon or else they would have to kill the boy before it was too late.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE! GAARA I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! DON'T LET HIM CONTROL YOU! I KNOW YOU CAN BEAT HIM! THAT IS YOUR BODY HE'S IN. HE'S NOT THE ONE IN CONTROL! YOU ARE!"

"**I've heard enough of you mortal! I'll end you now!" **Shukaku's sand arm shot Naruto ready to impale him on his sharp claws.

"No!" Tsunade yelled as she broke the shield she had and rushed to her son. But it was futile. She wasn't able fast enough to stop claws.

Naruto just looked at the claw coming and stood his ground in complete confidence and bravery. Closing his eyes, Naruto said one last sentence.

"I believe in you Gaara, I know you can stop him."

Just as the claws were at his nose the claws stopped.

"**What!"** The demon looked to his side and saw Gaaras human hand digging his fingers into the sand arm.

"**Boy let go!**" It snarled as he tried to keep his arm going, but it refused to move.

"I…..won't…..let you…..hurt……my friend….." Gaara weakly proclaimed as he dug his fingers into the sand arm and raised it to the ceiling away from Naruto.

"**No! I am so close to freedom! You won't take your body back again**!"

"Yes…..I…..will!"

"That's it Gaara you tell em! That's your body!" Naruto yelled.

"Oh my god Naruto are you all right?" Tsunade cried as she made sure Naruto wasn't hurt from almost being killed by the demon claw.

"I'm fine mom!"

"Got it! Tsunade, Jiraiya quickly form a triangle around the boy!" The Hokage yelled.

"Please……hurry…" Gaara gasped as the sand arm started thrashing about as his control over his demon was slipping.

All three got into position and the Hokage started doing a long set of hand seals at the last seal he yelled "Level 100 Darkness repression seal!"

The two Sannin focus there energy into the seal to their leader as the a pentagram formed in his palm and quickly shoved the symbol into the old seal in back of Gaara's neck. Gaara arched his head up in silent pain as the sanding covering Gaara fell to the ground.

In his head, Gaara could here his demons roar of rage grow until there was nothing, silence. Gaara smiled as he look at the old kage, "thank...," was all Gaara go out before he collapsed forward in exhaustion.

"Gaara!" Naruto yelled but was held back by an exhausted Tsunade.

"Don't he'll be fine for now he's asleep," She looked at the anbu present. "I want all of you to take Gaara to the hospital now."

The Anbu nodded as all of them gather the tired boy up and disappeared.

Naurto looked behind and saw an equally exhausted Jiraiya staring at him. After a few minutes of just staring, Jiraiya spoke. "That was brave what you did," He kneeled to the boys level with a serious gaze. "But also foolish! He could've killed you without even a single gesture. You should've of thought of what would happened if you died!" Naruto's head bent down in shame at his words.

Jiraiya sighed as his words sunk in. "But I guess this happens when you got a guy like me taking care of you," Naruto looked up at his old mans smiling face as he ruffled the boys hair. "Hehe just like me brave and stupid, that's what it takes to be a great ninja. Remember that, now if only I could get you to peek (WHAM)" Jiraiya during his speech forgot Tsunade was there.

1 week Later:

Gaara slowly opened his eyes to see a pure white ceiling in front of him. 'What happened did I….Oh NO!' getting up he looked around in panic he was in hospital room and nothing looked destroyed. 'What happened how was I able to sleep?'

"Ah I see you're awake." Someone at the door said.

Gaara looked at the woman remembering her as the woman with Naruto in Suna.

"You're Tsunade right?"

"That's right, Naruto should be coming to check on you soon."

"Really?" Gaara grinned "so I didn't hurt him!"

"Yes he's alright, but I need to check on you to make sure that seal you have is doing its work."

"Seal? Oh mean that thing the old man put on me last night?"

Tsunade giggled, "First of all kid it's been over a week since that day.."

"What?" Gaara gapped.

"That's right. You've been asleep this whole time." She giggled again as his mouth hit the floor.

Dumbstruck he stuttered, "B-But how was that possible, my demon would eat me if I slept."

"That's what that seal was for, since your demon was partially sealed we were able seal it completely. But that was just a temporary seal we used that night, but we have a very good (if super perverted) seal master here. He created a seal that should work much better and you'll never have to deal with that demon again." Tsunade said.

Gaara was silent unable to express his feelings. No more voices in his head, no more sleepless nights, nothing trying to eat him. He was free.

"Thank you."

Tsunade became serious. "Though we did seal the demon there're some things that will be different." She pulled out a needle and grabbed his hand in a simple gesture she poked him hard with the needle.

"ow!" Gaara yelped as he pulled his hand back.

"The demons ability to protect you is gone. Now you can be hurt and killed like a normal person. But from what my physicals have discovered you still have the power to use sand since the demon youki has been in your body long enough. Though the WAY to wield sand is all up to you since no one here can help you with that." Tsunades stated.

To test this Gaara found a grain of sand on the ground and tried to move it with his hand. After a few minutes he started to concentrate harder, pouring sweat, until it finally moved a centimeter. Gaara sweat dropped 'This is gonna take awhile.' He shrugged the freedom from his demons influence overcame the cons.

"Hey Gaara! Man you slept so long I thought you'd die, man its good ta see ya!" Naruto yelled as he ran into the room with a huge grin.

"Yes it is good to be back." Gaara grinned at his happy friend.

"Now tell me Gaara, how on earth were you able to get from Suna to here? For that matter why did you leave?"

Gaara smile left as he looked down in depression as he remembered the reason he left. "It happened about month ago where I was almost consumed by my demon."

One Month Ago:

Gaara sat at the edge of the Kazekage tower looking at the full moon while trying his best to ignore the demon trying to control his thoughts. For some reason Shukaku was always more aggressive during a full moon. He stayed here to make sure no one was hurt. More importantly his siblings weren't hurt by that bastard demon.

Another development occurred after Naruto left, Gaara started to really despise the demon inside of him. He would glare at it through the mirror every time he saw his sleep deprived eyes. Thanks to the bastard he would never feel the wonder and relaxation of sleep people talked about, dreams, nothing.

He also wasn't a fan of his father either because he put the demon inside him. In fact the only thing keeping him loyal to him was the fact he was his father like it or not and he was Kazekage; which was the main reason he was still even slightly loyal to his birth village.

As Gaara looked up at the moon in thought he suddenly felt his sand shoot from his back to protect him. Looking up he gasped as he saw a masked shinobi in black throw more kunai and shurinken at the boy. Gaara stayed on the defensive as he kept up the sand shields but soon as he started to get tired the sand started to slow down. The shinobi saw this and boosted his speed and raised his kunai to stab Gaara 's heart.

In fear of his life, Gaara used the last of his strength and the exploded all around him in a giant dome of sand spikes, gording the shinobi in the stomach and right side of his chest. Gaara was shocked as he looked the dieing body in front of him. He had killed before by accident but no one had ever been so close to killing him.

Gaara walked over to the near death shinobi, he started in shock as he saw his uncle. His uncle had tried to kill him.

"Uncle...but why? Why did you do this?! I...I thought you were someone special! Why did you try to kill me!" Gaara cried as he looked down at his bleeding uncle.

"I did this...because the Kazekage fears you...but the reason...is because...I have hated you since the day you killed my sister."

"What?!"

"You killed her by existing...she died bringing you into this world...she didn't have to die but you killed her...I have waited to kill for so long...but I guess I failed..." With this final word Gaara's uncle died.

Gaara was frozen from what he heard his uncle didn't love him. The very person he thought was kind hated him, he couldn't cry he just sat there the had numb his mind.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Gaara scream as he clutched his head as he felt something trying to overpower him.

Shukaku saw the pain and stress Gaara was having and started his attack to take over Gaara's body completely. With his pain so high it was the perfect opportunity to coruppt his host.

Around the screaming Gaara sand started to spin like a whirl of blades as he tried fight off whatever was tgrying to affect his mind. As seconds dragged on Gaara could feel more of himself being eating by his demon, he soon started to become covered in sand as he laid in fetal position.

Gaara lapt into unconsciousness as he saw looked it was completely dark in his mind he couldn't see anything until a voice spoke.

"**That's right give in Gaara, forget your pain and let me take control"**

"Your my demon..."

"**Yes I am Shukaku, incarnate of sand," Gaara gasped as he looked in the darkness. **"**I can give you power needed to destroy all that have hurt you in this village. Use me and you will be free from weaknesses. Love only yourself and destroy all who stand in your way!**"

Gaara looked curious about the demons offer of power. "But I don't want to destroy everyone."

"**Why should you care about those who've hurt you?**" Suddenly images started surrounding him, images of people yelling at him, screaming words of hate, how he exist, all of it hurt Gaara further. "**Why should you care for such people it is better to kill everyone and love no one! I can give you power and make you god among humans no one would ever hurt you again.**"

As Gaara's reserve weakened the demon Shukaku grinned soon he would have freedom and could spill blood once again. That was until Gaara remembered a certain blonde who didn't care about the demon held '_No matter what buddy I'll always be there for ya_' echoed in his head. Stopping his current decision. "No."

"**What?**"

"No, I refuse to take the power you offer."

"**Why!? Why do care?! What makes you think you can change peoples vision of you?! They hate you and hurt you they deserve to die!**"

"I won't take your power for the people who hate me. But I am doing it for the people who think of me as a human. Naruto, Temari Kankuro, if I accept your power I'll be turning into the very thing they said I wasn't. So no."

The demon growled at his host. "**You fool! I was being nice, but no more! Your body is mine!**" The darkness around Gaara's mind started to engulf him as he clutched his head fighting back.

"Get out of my head! You...don't...control me! Get out...Get out,"

THE REAL WORLD

"GET OUUUUUUUUUUUTT!"

The sand exploded like a nuclear bomb shrouding the village in a sand cloud. The shinobi all tried to make it through the sand cloud, terrified since the sand was saturated with demon chakra. On the now ruined Kazekage side Gaara gasped for breath, his arms shaking as they kept him from colapsing. As he looked around he caught the sight of his uncle long dead. He sighed, saddend by the fact he killed him. He could only utter one world to as he place his hands prayer. "I'm sorry uncle."

In a rash choice Gaara got up and ran the entrance to village and left the Suna hoping he could make it to Konoha.

End Flashback:

"And that is how I got here, I think my demon helped me survive the travel from my village. Since I everyone in my village was trained in surviving the desert I was able coordinate the way to Konoha, the rest of way I had no idea I just followed what people told me."

Tsunade and Naruto were listening well to the story and Tsunade was impress by what he said. She believed him because her physicals discovered sever exhaustion and malnurishment, if he did travel with no money and no way to know what was edible his story checked. "Well Gaara now that your here and now are able to sleep again, what will you do now?"

Gaara curled his legs up to face in fear, "I-I don't want to go back to Suna, I-I would really like to stay here if it is even possible, I don't want to go back."

"Are ya sure Gaara? I mean what about Cutie Temari-chan and your ugly brother?" Naruto finally piped up.

"I've thought about, I feel they will be safer without me. Father won't be able to force them into anything and if I do return they might be forever shackled to me by my father. So please can I stay?" Gaara asked almost begging Tsunade.

"Well...you might be able to, but we need to talk to the Hokage about this. You should be feeling better now so lets get going."

Hokage Office:

The third and Jiraiya we're filled on everything as the old man scratched his chin in thought as he heard the idea, he looked at Gaara. "Well boy since your not shinobi we can't really call you a missing nin plus we have heard nothing from the Kazekage in concern for finding you yet, so as long as that doesn't happen you can stay." He finished with a grin.

"That is awesome Gaara! Old man you the best! C'mon Gaara let me show ya to Lee and Hinata-chan." Grabbing his arm Naruto ran out while Gaara acted like a flag in the wind.

The the children left the Hokage grin faded, "(Sigh) That will be a permanent resident now," Both Sannin looked at him curious. "I just got the news from the Shinobi Press a few days ago saying that the Kazekage's youngest son is dead. Apparently he thinks his son is more trouble than he was worth if he didn't even contact the other elemental contries.

Both Nodded. The Shinobi Post was the number one newspaper in all the elemental countries. It had the news about all the shinobi villages that were writen by anonomous. Though the news was spot on the villages guessed it was written by shinobi since no author was ever written. Probably to secure safety of the new writer. Though the third had an idea that most of the articles were written by one of Jiraiya's old students that fell off the face of the earth years ago. But that theory had no evidence. Though the Hokage decided to start the dreaded paper work for assigning Gaara his own. 'Stupid Bureacracy'.

AN: Well I'm done with another chapter. Just one more chapter before we finally get to the Genin exams I just have a few loose ends to tie up. Also the Pairing for this story will be Naru/Hinata/Temari/Young Anko, you'll understand what I mean.

Next up: Narutos 8th birthday will grant him something only a few have ever been able to tame, next up New way of thinking.

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